Madan Mitra Quits TMC to Join Rebel Faction Amid ED Summons Controversy

In a surprising political shift, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Madan Mitra has announced his resignation from the party faction led by Mamata Banerjee and has joined a breakaway group helmed by opposition leader Ritabrata Banerjee. This decision comes closely on the heels of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issuing summons to his wife and two sons in connection with an ongoing investigation into a municipal recruitment scam.

Mitra, a prominent figure in the TMC and a long-time ally of Banerjee, stated that his family intends to fully cooperate with the ED’s inquiry. Despite the timing of his defection, he emphasized that his choice to leave the party was not influenced by the recent legal troubles his family is facing. Earlier this month, he had been appointed as one of the general secretaries of Banerjee’s faction, indicating a significant trust placed in him by the party leadership.

In an interview with ANI, Mitra expressed his frustrations about his inability to contribute effectively within the current party dynamics, declaring that the focus of the leadership appears to be more on promoting Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and the TMC’s national general secretary, rather than on the party’s organizational strengthening. “TMC is not one person’s party,” he asserted, hinting at a growing discontent among veteran members of the party.

He went on to reveal that he had voiced his concerns directly to Mamata Banerjee on multiple occasions, but felt that his suggestions were not given due consideration. Mitra indicated that Abhishek’s style of leadership tends to centralize decision-making, limiting the involvement of other party members. This sentiment resonates with other party loyalists who have expressed similar frustrations about the internal dynamics within the TMC.

This defection is seen as part of a larger trend, as several long-standing TMC members have been leaving the party, disillusioned by the leadership’s current approach. With state elections approaching, the TMC may need to address these internal issues to maintain its stronghold in West Bengal politics.

Source: scroll.in